Vallejo man convicted of sex crimes against two minors

Anthony Mason, found guilty, faces 50 years to life when sentenced at in Department 23 in the Justice Center in Fairfield

A Solano County Superior Court jury on Wednesday convicted a 43-yearold Vallejo man of sex crimes against two minors, The Reporter has learned.

In a verdict rendered in Department 11, jurors found Anthony Maurice Mason guilty on two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a minor under 14 years of age.

The jury also found with that the defendant committed the crimes involving “substantial sexual conduct” with the children, District Attorney Krishna Abrams said in a press release issued Thursday.

Court records show that from March 6, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2016, Mason began to commit the offenses against the children when they were 10 years old.

The victims were afraid to disclose the crimes initially because the defendant was an amateur boxer and had physically disciplined them and made threats, Abrams noted in the prepared statement.

Eventually the children disclosed the abuse to each other. The older child came forward to a teacher on Jan. 9, 2017, the first day back from winter break.

Both victims “courageously testified” at trial, said Abrams.

Mason, who remains in Solano County Jail in Fairfield, is scheduled to be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. July 22 in Department 23 in the Justice Center in Fairfield. He faces as much as 50 years to life in state prison.

Deputy District Attorney Barry Shapiro led the prosecution, and Victim Witness Advocate Shamar Lewis provided victim advocacy and support to the victims.

Abrams advised anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault — or knows someone who has — and needs the assistance of an advocate, to call 784-6827 or the Family Justice Center at 784-7635.